Corn-husking machine.



` J. F. WHITE.

CORN. HUSKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1906.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

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and o -UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

JOHN F. WHITE, OF MOUNT MORRIS, NEW YORK.

CORN -HUSKING MACHINE No. 899,777. p

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented slept. 29, 190s.

Application filed September 8, 1906. Serial N o. 333,790.

lof New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corn-Husking Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

rI his invention relates to machines for husking green corn, and the primary object of the invention is to roduce an eiiicient machine of simple, dura le and inex ensive rapidly an thorconstruction which will oughly stri the husks from the ears without materially Ibruising the corn.

Brieiiy stated, the machine is organized erates as follows: Husking rolls are provi ed arrangedin pairs with a space between the pairs of rolls into which space the ears of corn are fed singly, tassel end foremost. A holder or support properly directs the ear and assists in supporting the same, while thehusks at the forward or tassel end of the ear-are divided and dragged or pulled in opposite directions, a portion into the bite i of each pair of h usking rolls by stripping tongs or devices having lingers or prongs which move in directions so that they engage the husks and drag them toward the two pairs of husking rolls. The pairs of rolls are driven in op osite directions so that they strip the hus s in opposite directions from the ear, and by this action feed or move the ear forwardly endwise through the space between the pairs of rolls in a direction crosswise of the rolls. The rolls completely tear the husks from the ear, which is thus freed and drops from between the pairs of rolls while the husks are fed laterally in opposite directions by the two pairs of rolls and discharged from the machine. I

In the accompanying. drawings, consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a corn husking machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sect1onal plan thereof in line 33, Fig. 1J Fi 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional el vation of the stripping tongs and their operating means, in line 4 4, Fig. 2. ing the parts in different position. Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of the arts shown in Fig. 5. tion of one pair of husking rolls and their drive means, in line 7-7, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail cross section of one of the reciprocating tong slides and the guides therefor. Fig. 9

Fig. 5 1s a similar view, show-- F 1g. 7 is a sectional e evathe stripping tongs.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The main frame of the machine shown in the drawings consists of a horizontal bed or table A supported by suitable legs c, and a is a detail section of one of the switches for by end uprights a2, but the main frame may be of any other suitable construction.

B represents a holder or support into which the ears of corn are fed singly by hand (or, if desired, by a feed mechanism which forms no part of this invention and is not shown in the drawings) and which holds the ear in position for husking. The ear holder preferably consists of an open top trough provided at its rear end-with an expansible funnel portion b formed by a circular series of converging s ring strips. After the ear is dropped or paced in the trough it is shoved endwise rearwardly in the funnel by which it will be held With its tip end projecting therefrom, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The holder is also preferably provided with spring strips b extending into the funnel which grasp the butt-end of the ear and hold the ear from swinging sidewise in the holder during the `husking operation. Any other suitable device for holding the ear could be employed.

C C and C C represent two pairs of huskin rolls which are arranged in rear of the ear holder and at opposite sides thereof, the pairs of vrolls being spaced far enough apart to allow an ear'of corn to pass rearwardly from the holder between them without contact therewith. The husking rolls are preferably made of or covered with rubber or analogous yielding material which will insure a firm hold on the husks and are secured to vertical shafts j ournaled at their opposite ends in suitable bearings c2 c3 on the table and bearing yoke of the frame. One roll of each pair is movable toward and from the other and is pressed yieldingly toward the latter by spring-pressed boxes c4, Fig. 7, of any usual or suitable construction, and the rolls of each pairvare geared together so as to rotate in opposite directions by intermeshing gear wheels c5 c at the opposite ends thereof. These gear wheels are of a sort adapted to allow considerable play of the movable roller away wheels out of mesh. The shaft of one ro l of each pair is extended upwardly and connected by bevel gear wheels d d to a horizontal bearing yoke a supported above the table from the other without throwing the ear drive shaft E which is ournaled in suitable l `bearings on the end uprights of the frame and driven in any suitable manner. By the described mechanism the rolls are driven in such direction that when the ends of the husks of the ear of corn are engaged between the rolls, they will feed the husks in opposite directions between them, thereby stripping them from the ear and pulling or moving the ear rearwardly out of the holder B. The husking rolls could be constructed, mounted and driven in any other usual or suitable way.

F F and F F represent two opposite pairs of stripping fingers or tongs arranged to reciprocate toward and from the ear of corn in the holder in a vertical plane, passing between the husking rolls crosswise of the ear of corn. The tongs are provided at their inner ends with. sharpened hooks or prongs f adapted, when the tongs are closed or pressed together, to grip or stick into the husk of the ear so as to pull or tear the hnsk open when the tongs are retracted or moved away from the ear.

G G represent two tong slides or slide heads arranged on opposite sides of the husking rolls to reciprocate toward and from each other in suitable ways g g in the table and bearing yoke of the frame. The tongs of each pair are pivoted at their outer ends by pins L, or otherwise, to one of said slide heads, and suitable springs l carried b y the slide heads tend to close or force the tongs toward each other. Bowed springs are shown for this purpose, each secured at one end to the slide head and bearing at its free end against one of the fingers or tongs. Thumb screws i passing through holes in the springs into screw holes in the slide head serve to regulate the pressure with which the tongs are closed together by the springs. Any other suitable kind of springs and adjusting means therefor can be employed for closing the tongs. The tongs reciprocate in slots k in the table and bearing yoke of the frame, and each tong or finger is provided near its free end with oppositely extending rollers or projections k which cooperate with guide lugs k2 and grooves 7c3 in each of the opposite walls of the slots 7c to open the'tongs and hold them open or closed as necessary in the movements of the pairs of tongs toward and from each other. In the position of the tongs shown in Fig. 4 their rollers bear against the outer edges of the guide lugs cl and each pair of tongs is thereby held open. When the tongs are advanced by their slides far enough for their rollers to clear the inner ends of the guide lugs k2, each pair of tongs will be closed onto the ear of corn by its springs I and as the slide heads are retracted the rollers 7c traveling against the inclined inner ends of the lugs k2 will cause the hooks of each pair of fingers to gradually close together so as to follow around the sides of the ear and scrape the husks therefrom. rlhe tongs will be held closed by their rollers traveling in the straight portions of the guide grooves la in the continued return movements of the slide heads and their hooks will drag the ends of the husks with them be tween the husking rolls of the two opposite pairs. After the hook ends of the tongs pass between the rolls their guide rollers will travel through the inclined portions of the guide grooves 7c3 and thereby open or spread the tongs. The guide rollers will pass out of the guide grooves before the 'linger or guides are completely retractml, and when the slide heads again advance the guide rollers will be caused to pass outside of the guide lugs k2 and will be prevented from entering and moving inwardly through the guide grooves by suitable pivoted switch tongues Z, Figs. 5 and t), which are yieldingly held against the outer edges of the guide lugs k2 with their free ends extending part way across the outlet ends of the grooves by suitable springs l. 'l`he guide rollers can swing the switch tongues outwardly and pass out of the guide grooves, but the switch tongues will close the guide grooves against the entrance of the rollers in the inward or advance movements of the tongs. 'llhe tongs are thus held open while they advance, by the guide lugs and rollers, and when their hook ends are opposite the ear the rollers pass olll of the lugs and the hooks are suddenly snapped together by their springs so as to penetrate the husks and take a firm hold thereof. The hooks retain their hold on the husks until they pass betnf'een the husking rolls and drag the ends of the husks between the rolls. when the hooks pass the centers of the rolls they will begin to open or spread, and as the husks will then be held by the rolls the hooks will readily disengage the husks. The tongs thus feed the husks to the husking rolls and the latter clear the hnsks from the hooks so that the husk and silk will not become entangled with the tongs and clog the machine.

rThe tong slides are reciproeated in the machine illustrated by rotary cams M M Figs. l and 3, which engage rollers or projections m m on the tong slides. The ealns preferably have (nitnf'ardly directed peripheral faces m2 which bear against the rollers to advance or shove the slides inwardly, and inwardly directed faces m which. draw thc rollers outwardly to retract the slides. 'lhe cams are preferably shaped to cause the tongs to advance slower than thev are retracted, thereby allowing more time for the husking rolls to strip olll the h usks and for feeding the ears to the machine. The rollers are adjustably secured to the slides by slotted arms a and screws a or otherwise to enable the proper adjustments of the two pairs of I cured to the ends of the curbs and from the ear the latter is tongs relative to each other. The tong slides` could bereciprocated by other suitable means.

The machine table is provided at opposite sides of the husking rolls with openings O O partly surrounded by curbs or flanges p through which the husks `discharge from the husking rolls, and scrapers q adjustably seresting against the surfaces of the husking rolls serve to direct the huslrs and silk into the discharge openings and prevent the silk from winding around the rolls.

R, Big. 3, indicates a discharge chute for the hushed ears. As the huslrs are stripped out of the holder and falls into the discharge chute by which it can be directed into a suitable receptacle or conveyer for carrying the earsA from the machine.

While the reciprocating tongs constitute efficient means for dividing and pulling the ends of the husks into the bite of the huslring rolls, the described action of the two pairs of rolls in stripping the huslrs in opposite directions from the ear, and thus feeding the ear forwardly in the space between the pairs of rolls, is not dependent upon the particular means employed for directing the huslr's into the grasp of the rolls andother means could be used for this purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a corn huslring machine, the combination of huslring rolls arranged in pairs with a space between the pairs of Vrolls to receive the ear of corn, means-for drawing the huslrs into the bite of the rolls of each pair, and means for driving the pairs of rolls in opposite directions whereby .they strip the huslrs in opposite directions away from the ear and move the ear forwardly endwise in the space between the pairs of rolls, substantially as set forth.

2. In a corn husking machine, the combination of husking rolls arranged in "pairs with a spacebetween the pairs of rolls for the passage of the ear of corn, means for drawing the husks into the bite of the rolls of each pair, means for driving the pairs of rolls whereby they strip the husks in o posite directionsfrom the ear and move the ear forwardly endwise in said space between the pairs of rolls, and meansfor directing the ear of corn endwise into the space .between the pairs of rolls, substantially as set forth.

3. In a corn husling machine, the combination of a holder in which the ear of corn is movable endwise, huskin rolls arranged in pairs at opposite sides o the aXial line of said holder and with their aXes transversely with respect to said axial line, means for drawing the huslrs into the bite of the rolls pulled rearwardly through said holder, substantially as set forth.

4. In a corn husking machine, the combination of a holder in which the ear of corn is movable endwise, means for dividing and pulling the ends of the husks in opposite directionsfrom the ear and into the bite of the rolls, and driven husling rolls which 'rasp the ends of the husks and strip the hus s in opposite directions away from the ear and move the ear forwardly endwise through said holder, substantially as set forth.

5. In a corn husling machine, the combination of a holder in which the ear of corn is movable endwise, driven huslring rolls arranged to the side of the path of `travel of the ear, means movable transversely of the direction of movement of the ear for drawing the ends of the husls into the bite of said rolls, and means for driving said rolls to grasp and strip the huslrs sidewise away from the ear and move the ear endwise past said rolls, substantially asset forth.

6.' In a corn huslring machine, the combination of driven huslring rolls arranged in pairs with a space between the pairs of rolls for the passage of the ear of corn, means movable transversely of the plane of movement of the ear between the airs of rolls for drawing the ends of the hus -s into the bite of said rolls, and means for driving said rolls to grasp and strip ythe huslrs sidewise away from the ear and move the ear endwise in the space between the pairs of rolls, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of two pairs of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn in the space between said pairs of rolls, reciprocating stripping tongs which engage the husls, partially tear them from the ear and draw them into the bite of the husking rolls, and means for driving said rolls to strip the husls from the ear and pull the ear past the rolls, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn, stripping tongs, means for advancing and closing said tongs on the ear and then retracting the tongs to partially strip the husks from the ear and engage the husks between said husking rolls, and means for driving said rollsto strip the husks from the ear, substantially as set forth. i

9. The combination of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn, stripping tongs, means for advancing and closing said tongs on the ear and moving the tongs away from the ear toward the bite of the rolls whereby the husks are partially `stripped from the ear and dragged between husking rolls, and means for driving said husking rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substanti ally as set forth.

10. The combination of two pairs of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn between said pairs of rolls, stripping tongs, means for reciprocating said tongs toward and from thev ear, means for closing and opening said tongs to grasp and release the husks, and means for driving said rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of two pairs of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn between said pairs of rolls, slides arranged at opposite sides of said husking rolls, means for reciprocating said slides toward and from said rolls, a pair of movable stripping tongs connected to each slide, means for closing and opening said tongs to grasp and release the 'husks, and means for driving said rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of two pairs of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn between said pairs of rolls, slides arranged at opposite sides of said husking rolls, means for reciprocating said slides toward and from said rolls, a pair of stripping tongs pivoted to each slide, springs for pressing said tongs toward each other to grasp the husks, guide devices for spreading and holding said tongs apart against the action of said springs, and means for driving said rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substantially as set forth.

13. rlhe combination of two pairs of husk ing rolls, means for holding an ear of corn between said pairs of rolls, slides arranged at opposite sides of said husking rolls, means for reciprocating said slides toward and from said rolls, a pair of stripping tongs pivoted to each slide, springs for pressing said tongs toward each other to grasp the husks, projections on said tongs, and guides against which said projections travel and which are shaped to hold said tongs together and then spread the same during their movement in one di rection and to hold them apart until they reach the limit of their movement in the opposite direction, and means for driving said rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substantially as set forth.

14. rl`he combination of two pairs of husking rolls, means for holding an ear of corn between said pairs of rolls, oppositely arranged pairs of stripping tongs provided with hook ends, means for opening and closing the tongs of each pair, means for moving the hook ends of said pairs of tongs in opposite directions between said husking rolls, and means for driving said husking rolls to strip the husks from the ear, substantially as sot forth.

15. ln a corn husking machine, the combination of rolls arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the line of feed of the ear through the machine and at an angle to such line, and meansl for driving the p airs of rolls in opposite directions to strip the husks in opposite directions away from the ear as the ear is moved endwise between the pairs of rolls, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand, this 5th day of September, 1906.

JOHN F. WHITE.

lVitnesses:

C. W. PARKER, C. B. HORNBECK. 

